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ElginBaylor
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 Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 2:26 am Post subject: |
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Geezer here as well going back to the earliest championships in L.A. Which is most memorable? This one, because, hey, I'm old and my memory ain't so good.
Seriously though, this one could be one of the sweetest because for so many of those earlier championships, the Lakers were just expected to win. It was a disappointment if they didn't take home the trophy. This year was so weird on so many levels but after being in the dregs for close to a decade it's good to be back on top.
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danzag
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| Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 6:38 am Post subject: |
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This was my 6th title... and counting  |
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gblews
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| Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2020 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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Been a fan through all 12 of the titles in LA, so I know I’m old. My favorite will always be the 1985 championship. That’s the one where we finally broke the Boston curse.
I had been a fan since the ‘65 Finals in which we lost to the C’s, then again in ‘66, and the worst, in ‘69. That was the “balloon game.” Listened to Chick’s “words eye view,” for all 3 and it was just like being there.
I was in college for the ‘72 championship. I was the only Lakers fan on the floor of my student housing. Boy, did they all hate me. Good times.
Shoutout to the ‘87 chip bc I was at the clinching game 6 at the Forum.
But this one was special because of Kob and because of the more than season long slander and disrespect. Shutting all of the “experts” up was so sweet. |
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ChickenStu
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| Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2020 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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I've been alive since 1976, but I remember 8 of our titles vividly, starting with '87, where this is forever marked in my brain...
"the Lakers take the lead, on Magic Johnson's running sky hook!"
'87 '88 '00 '01 '02 '09 '10 '20 |
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CabinCreek44
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 2:21 am Post subject: |
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The only Lakers titles I haven’t seen were the ones which were captured while the club was still in Minneapolis, so I’m a geezer too.
They’ve all been memorable to say the least and here’s hoping for many more! |
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jonnybravo
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 2:51 am Post subject: |
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That's me too OP.
The early showtimes championships were hazy but I have distinct memories of 87 and on. The 1988 run followed by 2000 were my favorite ones.
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Mike C
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 8:28 am Post subject: |
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Another Old Dude:
What I remember about the 1972 Championship was that the final game (game 5) was at the Forum and it was on TV. Many/ most of the home games including the playoffs were blacked out on local TV and you would listen to Chick on the radio. Watched with my Dad who was relieved for the Lakers to finally get that first one - I'd been following the team for about four seasons at that point. Great memories of the 1972 Championship Lakers!! |
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Dumhead
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 10:07 am Post subject: |
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10 here. I was there for '80, and have vague recollections of it... mainly of my dad's reactions. But I was too young for that to count. Still... feelsoldman
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venturalakersfan
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 10:52 am Post subject: |
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Same as the OP for me. My most memorable was 2000. It had been a decade with no titles and Shaq was the most dominant player that I have ever watched.
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Annihilator
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 11:10 am Post subject: |
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| P.K. wrote: | 12 for me
In 1972 I was almost 10 when they won - Wilt, Jerry, and Gail
I still think 1980 was the best - Magic starting at center, playing all 5 positions...showtime was brand new and incredibly fast compared to "old style" basketball |
+1
The 1980 championship was fantastic; don't forget to mention that KAJ was injured (and not expected back for the rest of the series) which is why Magic started at center. The most stressful was 2010. |
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cyborgspider
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 12:49 pm Post subject: |
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| venturalakersfan wrote: | | Same as the OP for me. My most memorable was 2000. It had been a decade with no titles and Shaq was the most dominant player that I have ever watched. |
Haven't you been rooting AGAINST the lakers and notoriously quiet when they won the ship nearly a month ago? 
- My fave was 2009 because it came reasonably "easy", shut up the Kobe haters & gave the Lakers vindication for their previous blowout against Boston. 2010 was too stressful to properly enjoy, but i can see how that can be the majority of young people's favorite title.
2nd fave? 2020. The first in the major twitter/embrace debate era that REALLY shut up a whole nation of doubters, from Lebron Haters to Laker Haters to Pelicans Twitter. So f'kin' sweet.
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TDRock
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 2:26 pm Post subject: Re: I have rooted for 11 Lakers championships.....aw damn....I might be a geezer!!! |
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| Qsmiff wrote: | | 5 Showtime....Threepeat...Kobe and Pau... Bron and AD...good times.....GET OFF MY LAWN!!!....lol |
We sound like we are from the same era.
*sits on rocking chair on porch* |
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slavavov
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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The first Lakers title I experienced was 2000. For me, nothing will ever top beating Boston in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals, especially the way we did it. It felt surreal as hell and pretty much felt like it was out of a movie.
This year wasn't a stressful title. It was more about simply making the world seem as round as a basketball for the first time in years - at least for a minute.
We've now tied the Patriots for the most world championship by a major sports team in this century. Let's pass them by and get our 7th next year!
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Travis Bickle
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 7:13 pm Post subject: Re: I have rooted for 11 Lakers championships.....aw damn....I might be a geezer!!! |
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| Qsmiff wrote: | | 5 Showtime....Threepeat...Kobe and Pau... Bron and AD...good times.....GET OFF MY LAWN!!!....lol |
Same here! To me the most stressful finals always included the celtics. All those celtics finals gave me sleepless nights. It's funny the post Showtime finals are alittle anticlimactic (except celtics 2010) because the West was so much stronger. To me beating blazers/kings/spurs/nuggets was really the real finals, post showtime. |
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cannga11
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 8:13 pm Post subject: Re: I have rooted for 11 Lakers championships.....aw damn....I might be a geezer!!! |
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| TDRock wrote: | | Qsmiff wrote: | | 5 Showtime....Threepeat...Kobe and Pau... Bron and AD...good times.....GET OFF MY LAWN!!!....lol |
We sound like we are from the same era.
*sits on rocking chair on porch* |
Same here - same era. Rocking chair? Not yet, but on the way.
The most enjoyable? Showtime and the Magic man.
The most "emotional"? Any time against the hated Celtics.
The most stressful? Kobe and Shaq era, especially vs Portland and Sacramento. I was hiding behind the couch in some of those games. 
The easiest? 2001 76ers, 2009 Magic, and this one.
The most appreciated? This one, after all the sh*t we've been through the last 10 years. As I get older, I realize how precious and rare these championships are. And that some of us may not be around when number 18 comes. 
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non-player zealot
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 5:12 am Post subject: |
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| LakerDynasty6.0 wrote: | | I can safely state that I've never seen the lakers play as good a D as this years group! Coop was great, Meta was great, but man, this time around, I gotta give it to Vogel! |
The 2000 team was top 1 or 2 in most important defensive measurements. Maybe that's forgotten a bit since the next two teams were hit and miss on that front. By 2002, I don't think they could put the clasp on most opponents all that well even if they wanted to. The 2001 team after March probably played the best team D for a prolonged stretch. The 2000 team slips in memory because they "only" went 15-8 in the playoffs. We also couldn't often muster the solid D on the road in numerous series. Couldn't win at SAC in the 1st Rd, got blown out in clinchers at PHX (a team the 20 squad woulda swept), and a 33 pt loss at IND in a potential clincher. Phil was disgusted at that, said a team didn't deserve a title w/ losses like that. So, sustained, this 2020 team was the best of them, possibly the best of all the ones from 80 onward. The 72 team was a good defensive team w/ Wilt acting on his own volition as a shot alterer/blocker and rebounder.
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Last edited by non-player zealot on Tue Nov 03, 2020 5:19 am; edited 1 time in total |
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non-player zealot
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 5:14 am Post subject: |
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| CabinCreek44 wrote: | The only Lakers titles I haven’t seen were the ones which were captured while the club was still in Minneapolis, so I’m a geezer too.
They’ve all been memorable to say the least and here’s hoping for many more! |
!!1 The way you kept goin on about Whitey Skoog's swag in a hoops discussion we had, I woulda swore you were a MPLS fan.  Skoog's nickname was "White Melbatoast".
You wanna give us your take on the 72 squad's team D with Big Wilt as a defensive center instead of a primary offensive weapon as he had been his entire career before that? Wanna talk about how West and Goodrich and others did on that end? Or anyone who was largely forgotten over the decades who was key on that squad? The 72 team seems like an outlier even compared to the 80 n 82 Lakers since there's available footage out there for 80 and 82.
Also, I think the post-Jamaal Showtime teams were better defensive teams (team D and w/ Cooper) than the early 80s. I did that 1982 project on YT this Summer and had to re-watch all of those games that I had in my collection that I hadn't seen for about 10 years and it was interesting to realize how different they were from the AC/Worthy years. Almost a pure offensive team in 80 and 82 tho with Kareem to plug the paint and young Coop (wasn't DPOY til 87). And bear in mind Westhead as coach in 80, the all-offense guy. If they played even a mediocre Eastern team that happened to be rugged as most of em were back then, the Lakers had a slim margin of victory. They had to play their way w/ waves of fastbreaks to win a lot of those games agaginst teams like the Bullets and Nets. They often couldn't because those teams would slow the pace down. We couldn't win at MIL to save our lives. They played us very well. It's lucky we drew SEA in 80 instead of MIL who was still in the WC until that season. The Sonics were in our wheelhouse.
The refs were straight ASS in a bad sense in 82, btw. If fans of today who hate the refs we have know only knew. I did that 82 at GS gm where the refs screwed us at the final buzzer and gave JBC 2 FTs with triple zeros. Riles was pissed as he shoulda been. For years I had gone along with the notion that refs got progressively worse over time, but that's not necessarily so.
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venturalakersfan
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 8:10 am Post subject: |
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| cyborgspider wrote: | | venturalakersfan wrote: | | Same as the OP for me. My most memorable was 2000. It had been a decade with no titles and Shaq was the most dominant player that I have ever watched. |
Haven't you been rooting AGAINST the lakers and notoriously quiet when they won the ship nearly a month ago?
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No, but you are welcome to be as wrong as you want to be.
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CabinCreek44
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 3:36 pm Post subject: |
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| non-player zealot wrote: | | CabinCreek44 wrote: | The only Lakers titles I haven’t seen were the ones which were captured while the club was still in Minneapolis, so I’m a geezer too.
They’ve all been memorable to say the least and here’s hoping for many more! |
!!1 The way you kept goin on about Whitey Skoog's swag in a hoops discussion we had, I woulda swore you were a MPLS fan. Skoog's nickname was "White Melbatoast".
You wanna give us your take on the 72 squad's team D with Big Wilt as a defensive center instead of a primary offensive weapon as he had been his entire career before that? Wanna talk about how West and Goodrich and others did on that end? Or anyone who was largely forgotten over the decades who was key on that squad? The 72 team seems like an outlier even compared to the 80 n 82 Lakers since there's available footage out there for 80 and 82.
Also, I think the post-Jamaal Showtime teams were better defensive teams (team D and w/ Cooper) than the early 80s. I did that 1982 project on YT this Summer and had to re-watch all of those games that I had in my collection that I hadn't seen for about 10 years and it was interesting to realize how different they were from the AC/Worthy years. Almost a pure offensive team in 80 and 82 tho with Kareem to plug the paint and young Coop (wasn't DPOY til 87). And bear in mind Westhead as coach in 80, the all-offense guy. If they played even a mediocre Eastern team that happened to be rugged as most of em were back then, the Lakers had a slim margin of victory. They had to play their way w/ waves of fastbreaks to win a lot of those games agaginst teams like the Bullets and Nets. They often couldn't because those teams would slow the pace down. We couldn't win at MIL to save our lives. They played us very well. It's lucky we drew SEA in 80 instead of MIL who was still in the WC until that season. The Sonics were in our wheelhouse.
The refs were straight ASS in a bad sense in 82, btw. If fans of today who hate the refs we have know only knew. I did that 82 at GS gm where the refs screwed us at the final buzzer and gave JBC 2 FTs with triple zeros. Riles was pissed as he shoulda been. For years I had gone along with the notion that refs got progressively worse over time, but that's not necessarily so. |
Whitey Skoog was my grandfather! Of course I’m gonna rep him!
Wilt was an absolute monster on D and the boards in 1972...Bill Sharman (one of the more under appreciated figures in Lakers history) sold Wilt on spending most of his efforts at the defensive end of the floor, to block shots, control the ball and outlet it to primarily West and Goodrich to move the ball quickly up the floor for easy buckets.
Jim McMillian and Happy Hairston ran the floor well and cashed in lots of gimmes. Hairston was a tough old vet who would run people over for rebounds and wasn’t shy with an elbow or three. McMillian, in only his second season, was a very cerebral player and good perimeter shooter which gave half court defenses an added nightmare as West and Stumpy were well known killers from long range. And when in doubt you could always throw it into Wilt, who could still dunk on people’s heads.
As for the role players the first one that springs to mind is Patrick James Riley, insomuch as the image we have of him as coach is so far removed from what he was as a player, which was a bench warmer trying to survive in the big time. The guy who was the epitome of cool as a coach was running around out there with his hair on fire as a player, scrapping and hustling for all he was worth. Opponents did not have fun playing against him.
But LeRoy Ellis might have been the most valuable guy off the bench, a big guy who could fill the lane on a fastbreak and could credibly spell Wilt in the post in one of the rare games he might have been in foul trouble or needed a brief rest. Ellis was no Wilt but he was a very good defender, long and athletic and played with heart, brains and guts, and he could throw in a couple buckets along the way. And at times, Ellis could man the 4 alongside Wilt, just to give the opposition a new nightmare, and Sharman some giggles. By the way, Sharman’s assistant that year was his terrific old Celtics teammate KC Jones, who went on to be a terrific head coach with the Bullets and then the C’s, who won 2 titles on his watch.
Flynn Robinson was a solid veteran guard off the bench and helped the Lakers win more than a couple of games. Quick guy who could get hot at any given moment.
The guy who later became Chick's sidekick, Keith Erickson, was also on that team but an early season knee injury shelved him for the rest of the campaign. Jim Cleamons was a rookie who didn’t play much for the 72 Lakers but went on to have a fine playing and coaching career.
In the playoffs they swept the Chicago Bulls and outlasted Kareem, The Big O and defending NBA champion Milwaukee in a tough 6-game WCF. The Lakers were blown out in Game 1 at The Forum, and barely won a wild Game 2, 135-134. But after that they settled down and won the series in 6.
They faced a beat up Knicks team in the Finals sans Willis Reed. Of course there was some NYC whining that the Lakers “didn’t beat the Knicks at full strength”, as if the Lakers hadn’t lost a Finals or three when they weren’t at full strength, including the loss to the Knicks in 1970 when Wilt limped back for the playoffs after injuring his knee 9 games into the regular season, and missing the rest of the schedule except for the final 3 regular season games to try to tune up for the playoffs. And Jerry West playing on one leg in the 1969 Finals etc etc
The Lakers caught lightning in a bottle in 71-72, but there was a big controversy right after the title win when Jack Kent Cooke refused to pay Sharman a bonus for winning a title because he neglected to negotiate for it in his contract. This set off a small firestorm amongst the team when some of the players wanted to chip in some of their bonus to cobble one together for their coach, but others didn’t. The bloom was off the rose before the champagne had been completely emptied from the bottle.
They won 60 games in 72-73 and faced the Knicks again in the Finals, but West pulled a hamstring in Game 2, and Wilt wasn’t happy that year as Cooke refused to renegotiate his contract, and when Wilt wasn’t happy, weren’t nobody happy. They lost to the Knicks in 5 uninspiring games. Wilt was gone (he’d had one foot out the door all season anyway) and West was also unsure about his future, held out on Cooke unsuccessfully the following training camp, and only played one more injury wracked season.
But 1971-72 was the magic carpet ride, 8 years before Magic... |
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Dr. Laker
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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NBA fan since 1970-71.
Laker hater in 1979-80 & 81-82 (Sixers fan).
Laker lover in 1983-84 (my Celtics hatred was deep & abiding)
Moved to LA on May 31, 1987 (86-87 STILL my favorite Lakers team).
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CervantesRises
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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Magic in 80 was insane. I remember my dad telling me the day before that we were in trouble and then when I came to breakfast he was reading the sports page and said Magic did it. As a kid I couldn't fully appreciate what he did but I fell I. Love with Magic the first time I saw him play and had not doubt.
85 after the Memorial Day Massacre...talk about a freaking comeback from left for dead...and in Boston! Remember the Purple Reign t-shirts.
87 was to me the most dominant team I had ever seen. No one could handle our defense or fast break. That was a no doubt chip as they come.
00 was in the forests of AZ while we beat the Jailblazers in game 7. I remember racing back into radio reception the next morning excited and scared to turn on the radio...damn what a game.
01 stupid extended layoff kept us from going undefeated.
10...cant tell you how many times I've rewatched that game. A Kobe masterpiece. A blood bath. I remember thinking that no one in this game will ever win another ring. Glad I was wrong about that, but I knew it was Kobe's last...he poured his entire soul into winning that one game. Some remember the misses...I remember the rebounds and the defense. Refs let them play and I wouldn't have been surprised if someone died after that game.
20...my favorite because it was for Kobe and the Mambacita. I still tear up when I see pictures of them. Kobe loved that little girl...every father can relate.
So yep...I'm old AF too. Lol.
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Snipes
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| Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2020 10:52 am Post subject: |
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| Chillin wrote: | Been through most of the Showtime era, Shaq/Kobe era, Kobe/Gasol era, and now LBJ/AD. Most memorable was the 84-85 chip where they won in the Garden. The second most memorable is the 2010 chip again against Boston.
Out of all the championships, this year's was just not emotionally taxing to me. There was no one really to hate on the Heat. In the 80's I hated the Celtics and the Pistons. I hated Jalen Rose and Reggie Miller. I hated Mike Bibby and Webber. I hated AI. I hated Jason Kidd. I loved Kobe getting his first without Shaq. I really hated KG, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. I couldn't hate Jimmy Butler or Bam this year for some reason. They never gave me a reason to I guess. I do love that we finally caught up to Boston and I am looking forward to #18 to finally shut all of them up!!! |
Agreed. Really annoyed at the fact that I couldn’t find myself to hate anyone on the Heat. |
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unleasHell
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| Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2020 9:39 pm Post subject: Re: I have rooted for 11 Lakers championships.....aw damn....I might be a geezer!!! |
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| Qsmiff wrote: | | 5 Showtime....Threepeat...Kobe and Pau... Bron and AD...good times.....GET OFF MY LAWN!!!....lol |
Me too, started watching when Magic got here!
I've seen it all, since 79!
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Richcbt
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2020 12:02 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I KNOW I'm a geezer. I started watching the Lakers as soon as they came to L.A., with my dad taking us to a game in the very early 60's. We followed their many Finals defeats at the hands of Boston, and then the Knicks, before FINALLY getting to see them win it in 1972.
There have been several long droughts, but thank goodness they've always bounced back and become contenders again. |
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non-player zealot
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2020 5:22 am Post subject: |
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| CabinCreek44 wrote: |
In the playoffs they swept the Chicago Bulls and outlasted Kareem, The Big O and defending NBA champion Milwaukee in a tough 6-game WCF. The Lakers were blown out in Game 1 at The Forum, and barely won a wild Game 2, 135-134. But after that they settled down and won the series in 6.
They faced a beat up Knicks team in the Finals sans Willis Reed. Of course there was some NYC whining that the Lakers “didn’t beat the Knicks at full strength”, as if the Lakers hadn’t lost a Finals or three when they weren’t at full strength, including the loss to the Knicks in 1970 when Wilt limped back for the playoffs after injuring his knee 9 games into the regular season, and missing the rest of the schedule except for the final 3 regular season games to try to tune up for the playoffs. And Jerry West playing on one leg in the 1969 Finals etc etc
The Lakers caught lightning in a bottle in 71-72, but there was a big controversy right after the title win when Jack Kent Cooke refused to pay Sharman a bonus for winning a title because he neglected to negotiate for it in his contract. This set off a small firestorm amongst the team when some of the players wanted to chip in some of their bonus to cobble one together for their coach, but others didn’t. The bloom was off the rose before the champagne had been completely emptied from the bottle.
They won 60 games in 72-73 and faced the Knicks again in the Finals, but West pulled a hamstring in Game 2, and Wilt wasn’t happy that year as Cooke refused to renegotiate his contract, and when Wilt wasn’t happy, weren’t nobody happy. They lost to the Knicks in 5 uninspiring games. Wilt was gone (he’d had one foot out the door all season anyway) and West was also unsure about his future, held out on Cooke unsuccessfully the following training camp, and only played one more injury wracked season.
But 1971-72 was the magic carpet ride, 8 years before Magic... |
Thanks, Zeke. All of that was beautiful. This is valuable info for anyone who knows nada about 72 due to age. You're one of the rare hangers-on from that era to now. Youngsters SHOULD wanna learn about 72, not to mention 82, kind of a forgotten title (as much as it's possible to forget one).
I gotta think the Bucks were a stiff challenge. Maybe tantamount to the Spurs of the 2000s. Lakers could win, but probably had to force the games to their liking. Game 1, 72-93 MILW. Evil Kareem with 33/18. Wilt and Hairston w/ 24 and 20 rebs. The pace for that to happen must've been frantic then. Gm 2, Lakers. McMillan w/ 42 as you said. West 28/13/7. From the boxes, you are spot on about 1972 being a whole cast team instead of a 2 superstar one. Nice contribution in scoring from a lot of names, relieving pressure from West. Kareem in Gm 6 closer with 37/25/8 for MIL. Haha, yikes! Lakers had to win two at MIL. I'm assuming this was pre-MECCA floor designed by artist Robert Indiana (of that LO over VE love statue fame, similar font to the big MECCA letters).
Gentleman's sweep of the Knicks. NY winning at The Forum in Gm 1 probably caused a lot of folks to fizz up a couple of Alka-Seltzers. Gm 5 was an OT win at MSG. Probably good that NY beat BOS in the CFs. Tho the 72 team might've been the first to win against the Smelts. I vaguely recall a claim that either Havlicek or Cowens were injured or hobbled in the Knicks series, but either I'm thinking about another season or the stats don't indicate anything amiss.
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